The Changes They See
by link no miko
Summary: Naruto and Sakura realise that some things change, and then some things never do. Post time jump. Oneshot.


**The Changes They See**

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Written for tatsu no houou as a drabble challenge on LJ. He requested the date between Naruto and Sakura after the time jump, and here's my version.

As always, comments and criticisms welcome.

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"You promised you'd treat," she reminded him as they stepped into his beloved ramen shop, giving him the Glare of Death only she could seem to pull off.

"I know, I know," Naruto said, making placating gestures and directing her towards a stool. As nice as it was to be on a date with Sakura (and was it ever nice), he hadn't been to this place in almost three years and he was _starving_.

It was difficult to decide which was bigger in his heart right at that moment—sweet, pretty Sakura-chan, or ramen. Glancing over at her seated beside him, the memory of his throbbing cheek won out over the rumbling in his tummy, and he had to admit that ramen was his second love.

_But it's a very close second love_, he thought with a nod as the sweet smells of ramen drifted to him.

"So," Sakura said after Naruto gave the cook their orders. She had one elbow on the counter, turned slightly so she was facing him, a small smile on her lips. "With everything going on these past two days, you haven't really told me what you've been up to all this time."

"I could say the same," Naruto countered with a grin, and Sakura rolled her eyes. "I was surprised to hear you're Tsunade-bachan's apprentice." He would _not_ rub his jaw, he would _not_ rub his jaw. "You got pretty strong, Sakura-chan!"

Her smile was almost feral. "Yep, so don't think you can get away with things when I'm around."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he mumbled, and Sakura arched an eyebrow. "Of course I won't, Sakura-chan!" he said louder, grinning goofily at the girl across from him.

"Orders are here," the man behind the counter said, placing the bowls before the two adolescents. Naruto cheered and whooped, jumping into eating with gusto, while Sakura was a bit more refined.

"You really haven't changed at all," she said when half her bowl was finished, watching her friend dig into his third bowl. "And by the way, breathing is a good thing."

Naruto paused long enough to give her a Look, then finished slurping half the contents of the bowl before setting it down and looking at her. His grin was contagious.

"Sure I've changed! I'm taller than you, and I'm way stronger, and I know a whole _ton_ of new jutsu! I can't wait to show you how awesome I've become!"

"The parts that matter," she continued, ignoring his tirade and taking a few bites of ramen. "Those haven't changed."

Naruto blinked. "How you mean?"

"Well, you're still a loudmouth, and you still find any and all opportunities to _embarrass_ _me_," she nodded with her head at the last, her voice almost a hiss, and Naruto just then noticed all the people staring at them. "And you're still full of all that energy that all the teachers hated, but that makes you _you_," she finished softly.

The fox-boy stared at her a moment, not quite sure how to take that, then burst out a huge grin. "You haven't changed much either, Sakura-chan! Well, you're a bit taller, and you can hit me harder than anyone else, I think, and your chest is definitely bigger," he very carefully ducked the punch Sakura threw at him, although a few of his hairs weren't so lucky and wow, did they sting when they were ripped out like that. "But you're still the prettiest girl in our class and you're still my teammate, and you're still my Sakura-chan!"

_Hah, my charm and wit will make her realize I'm awesome, just wait!_

Instead of the reaction he'd envisioned (which resulted in Sakura smiling brightly at him, hands clasped in front of her right before she kissed him and then offered to buy him two more rounds of ramen), Naruto instead received a stare, a blush, and a hurried "Thanks for the meal" before she pushed her stool back and left Ichiraku Ramen.

"Wha… Sakura-chan?"

Naruto darted out after her, yelling back to the owner that he'd pay in just a minute, and caught Sakura a few yards away from the shop.

"Sakura-chan?"

She turned around and smiled at him, although the expression seemed a little forced, if Naruto was any judge.

"Thank you for the food, Naruto. It was really good."

"Ne, Sakura-chan…"

"And I'll see you later, okay?"

He watched her start to walk off, mouth open and mind reeling, before he had the thought to call out to her. She stopped, but didn't turn around.

"I meant it, you know!"

She kept her back to him for a few more moments, then turned so he could see her face. Her smile wasn't forced this time.

"I know you did." A wave and another smile. "Thanks, Naruto. I'll see you later, okay?"

Stunned, Naruto just waved back until he couldn't see her anymore. And then he kept waving because it was something he could understand.

And then he realized that he'd not only called Sakura _pretty_, but that he'd called her _his_, and that she not only didn't punch him, but she smiled and said thank you.

And Konoha was reminded of exactly why the last three years had been so peacefully quiet as the young blond boy let out a whoop of delight and ran back into Ichiraku Ramen, telling of his exploits and his awesomeness at the top of his lungs.


End file.
